


Because you want to die for love, you always have

by Polyhexian



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: AU, M/M, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:21:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24316468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polyhexian/pseuds/Polyhexian
Summary: AU where Rewind2 is haunted by either a ghost or a trauma-related hallucination of Rewind1, who has some commentary on how Rewind2 handled Chromedome trying to trade his life for Dominus's
Relationships: Chromedome/Rewind (Transformers)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	Because you want to die for love, you always have

There was another shake above them as the stormshield quivered from impact, and Rewind looked up, staring at the orange shimmer in the distance that muffled the glow of the stars beyond. The stormshield settled back to stillness, silent, waiting, and he cast his optics back down to where Ratchet was reattaching Chromedome's arm a ways away.

"So," said the other Rewind, sitting beside him, legs crossed, chin in one hand, looking somewhat bored, "That's gotta be a lot to process, huh?"

"Not now," Rewind muttered, watching Chromedome roll over so Ratchet could reach another wire cluster. 

"Why not now?" the other Rewind asked, "Are you busy?"

"Frag off," Rewind shook his helm, trying to ignore the wretched specter of the Rewind that was meant to be here with his Conjunx instead of him. As usual, the apparition refused to leave him be, reaching his arms up high to stretch with a mock yawn.

"You've still got another half hour before you die too, give or take, I guess," the other Rewind said, leaning back in his seat, "You should be over there with him."

"Ratchet told me to get out of the way. You were there."

"I don't spend all my time paying attention to you, you know," the mirror bot scoffed.

"Sure," Rewind spat. His optics drifted to the shape on the table. Grey, pointy, covered in energon, an unfamiliar silhouette with a familiar name. He could barely stand to look at him. 

"You made the right choice," the other Rewind said, being uncharacteristically gentle, "Picking Domey."

"I didn't think…" Rewind murmured, optics warbling with visual static through emotion, "I mean. He's said… before, that he didn't think I love him as much as Dom, or- but he always says things like that when he's in a _mood_ , when he wants attention, he lashes out, he snaps, I didn't think- I didn't think he actually _believed_ that I-"

"Yes, you did," Rewind's ghost hissed, turning his helm sharply, "Don't lie to me. I'm you. You knew he meant it. You knew he meant it because he was right."

"Shut up," Rewind stood up, "You're a pessimist. You're self loathing and bitter and I'm sorry for you, but I can't save you."

"Self loathing and bitter, sure," the other Rewind shrugged, without bothering to stand, "Still right. You know I am. We branched what, a year ago? You haven't changed so much. As if a relationship founded on searching for your ex wouldn't give him a complex."

"I'm not listening to you. My Conjunx is hurt and I don't have time for this," Rewind started to walk away, and his doppelganger stepped in line with him, too quickly to have stood and walked over. Rewind found such disrespect for physical space infuriating. 

"He was my Conjunx before he was yours," the other Rewind reminded him, "You may as well go comfort him for me. Which one of us do you think he'll pick when we're all dead?"

"You aren't a ghost, you're a schizotypal hallucination brought on by extreme trauma," Rewind reminded him, "You aren't real and you will not be entering the Matrix with us."

"Possibly, possibly!" the double nodded, "Then the me I'm pretending to be is waiting for you. Do you think your Domey is waiting for you? Do you think it will break him, how easily he was replaced?" 

"Stop it!" Rewind snarled, spinning around. He didn't even care who stared at him this time. The ghost raised his palms, shrugging. "That is _too_ far!"

"Is it?" the mirror asked, "Look at him. Look at Chromedome." He pointed, and Rewind looked over at his Conjunx, who was still holding his shoulder while his arm was welded back on, staring at him with concern. 

"Domey…" Rewind murmured.

The ghost did not lower his pointing hand, "That is _my_ Domey. Yours is _dead_ . Yours is dead because he knew exactly what mine did: that if we had to choose between him and Dominus we wouldn't choose him." Rewind turned back to the double, who was trembling with rage, optics glimmering with lubricant, accusatory in his fury. "He knew that because that's what we told him every time we got jealous when he talked about Prowl while we dragged him on yet another Dominus mission. He knew that because that's what we told him every day we spent our time with him looking for _him_ when _he_ was already gone. Your Domey died because he was afraid if he erased us from his mind we would be _relieved._ "

Rewind stared at his bitter facsimile, enraged enough to be brought to tears, pointing at a mech who could not see him. Most of the time he found his little psychotic specter to be obnoxious at best and suffocating at worst, but in this moment the only emotion he could find in his spark was overwhelming pity. 

"I'm sorry things didn't work out," Rewind said.

"I hate you," said the other Rewind, "I hate you for making him happy. Go away. Ratchet's done, go hug him and tell him you love him before he convinces himself you don't again." 

Rewind's optics softened when the other Rewind turned away from him, too wretched to say anything else.

"I'm sorry," he said, before leaving him behind, running to his Conjunx's side. 


End file.
